Tyler’s POV
My heart skips a beat as Sophia’s voice echoes through the phone, exclaiming Alexander’s name. Shock floods over me, momentarily rendering me speechless. In this very moment, Jake swings open the door, sensing the tension in the air and joining me in the room.
“What happened?” Jake’s voice is laced with urgency, mirroring the intensity of my own thoughts.
I take a deep breath, desperately trying to steady my racing mind, and finally manage to respond, “That guy, Alexander, is at Sophia’s place.”
Jake’s eyes widen, and his entire demeanor shifts to a state of high alertness. He turns to face me, his expression serious. “Should we go there?” he asks without hesitation, ready to jump into action.
“Hold on,” I reply, my voice tinged with impatience. I strain my ears, hoping to catch even a fraction of the conversation between Sophia and Alexander. However, my attempts to eavesdrop are abruptly interrupted when Sophia bids her farewell and abruptly ends the call.
A sigh escapes my lips, and frustration seeps into my voice. “She said she’ll call later,” I inform Jake, disappointment evident in my tone.
Jake furrows his brow, his impatience deepening. He really looks like he could storm over there and throw a punch to that guy’s face. It’s time like this that makes me wish I had half of the impatience Jake has.
“I don’t like that guy’s presence around Sophia at all,” he asserts, his protective instincts kicking in. “How did they even meet?”
I shake my head, feeling equally perplexed. “I have no idea,” I admit. “But I remember when he first came to the apartment. I thought he might be some sort of stalker, so I questioned him.”
Jake’s eyes widen with surprise. “You questioned him? What did he say?”
A bitter smile creeps onto my face as I recall the encounter. “He was sarcastic and irritable,” I recount. “He pretended to be meek in front of Sophia, but he’s actually a real nut job. I could tell right away.”
Jake nods, his expression hardening. “I hate his guts and his arrogance,” he confesses, his dislike for Alexander evident. “What did he mean at the end when he said ‘Goodluck’ to us?”
I pause for a moment, trying to decipher the cryptic message. “Honestly, I’m not sure,” I reply, my voice tinged with uncertainty. “But based on his behavior and the way he said it, I have a feeling it wasn’t meant as a genuine wish for good luck.”
Jake’s jaw tightens, his irritation evident. “Well, he can keep his luck,” he grumbles, a hint of anger lacing his words. “I don’t trust that guy one bit.”
I observe Jake’s reaction, noting the intensity of his emotions. But something about his strong dislike for Alexander strikes me as unusual. Jake, although impulsive, is usually easygoing and rarely expresses such strong animosity towards someone. It makes me wonder what exactly is triggering this level of concern.
“Hey, Jake,” I begin cautiously, choosing my words carefully. “I can tell this whole situation is really bothering you. Can I ask why it’s affecting you so deeply?”
Jake’s gaze softens slightly, and he lets out a deep sigh. “Look, Tyler,” he starts, his voice carrying a mix of frustration. “Sophia is a grown woman, I get that. She can make her own decisions and fall in love with whoever she wants. But there’s something about that guy who doesn’t sit right with me.”
His words hang in the air, and I am quiet for a few moments as my mind trails back to that confrontation at the party. Alexander had accused Jake of being jealous, suggesting that he has feelings for Sophia.
I look at Jake intently, my mind reeling as I wonder if that is true. But how is that possible?
Sophia doesn’t even seem like the type of girl Jake would be interested in. He is always an active and adventurous person, and Sophia is too close up for him. Not to mention how he always loved to pressure her and make her do the chores while she still stayed with us.
I was doubtful, so I can’t help but ask him with a joking tone. “Are you sure you are not jealous?’
“Jealous?” He questions, pausing as he looks at me incredulously. “Why would I be?”
I shrug. “You seem jealous. Are you actually in love with her?”
He exclaims, his voice rising up a little too higher than normal. “What do you mean by that? Why would I love her!?”
I’m taken aback by Jake’s defensive reaction, his voice betraying his unease. It’s as if I struck a nerve, and a part of me wonders if I hit too close to the mark. But I can’t ignore the fact that his denial seems disproportionate to the situation. There’s more to his feelings than he’s letting on.
“Hey, calm down,” I say, attempting to diffuse the tension. “I was just kidding, man. There’s no need to get so defensive.”
Jake takes a deep breath, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “Sorry, Tyler. It’s just… I don’t know why you’d even suggest something like that. Sophia is our friend, and that’s it.”
I raise an eyebrow, studying him carefully. His response only reinforces my suspicions. “Come on, Jake,” I press gently. “I’ve known you for a long time. We’re brothers. I can tell when something’s bothering you. And this whole situation with Sophia and Alexander, it’s really getting to you. Just be honest with yourself.”
His gaze flickers away for a moment, and a mixture of emotions crossed his face-confusion, frustration, and perhaps even a hint of longing. Eventually, he meets my eyes again, and his voice softens. “Okay, fine. Maybe… maybe I do have some feelings for her. But it’s complicated, and I don’t want to ruin our friendship or make things awkward.”
I nod, understanding his perspective bit for some reason, I feel a tinge of jealousy that I can’t quite shake off. But I push those thoughts aside, reminding myself that this isn’t about me.
“You’re right, Jake. It is complicated,” I agree, my voice filled with empathy. “But hiding your feelings won’t make them go away either. And you can’t keep denying them while watching someone else potentially step into the picture.”
Jake’s brows furrow, a mix of confusion and concern on his face. “What do you suggest we do, Tyler? I don’t want to lose Sophia to someone like Alexander.”
“Well,” I begin, thinking through the situation. “Firstly, we should try to be closer to Sophia. It’s not right that she’s so far away. Maybe we could look for an apartment in her area or find a way to spend more time together.”
Jake sighs, his frustration evident. “I still can’t wrap my head around why she had to move out. We used to have so much fun together.”
I lean back, contemplating his words. “It’s possible that she became uncomfortable with us, Jake. You know how you used to bring different women around, and she could hear all your… escapades. It might have made her feel like a third wheel or intruded upon.”
Jake’s face flushes, a mix of embarrassment and realization dawning on him. “How was I supposed to know she was bothered by that? I didn’t think it would affect her like that.”
“Well, it did,” I say as I look at him before changing the topic. “Anyway, that’s bygones now. What you will do now is that you’ll try to get the contact of the agent in charge of the apartment and check if there are any more empty apartments in the building. If there aren’t, look for apartments close by and in the vicinity.”
He pauses and seems to understand my intention. “Okay, I’ll do that now.”
He brings out his phone, and I know he wants to tap into his network of contacts. But before he can leave the room, I receive a sudden notification and my phone chimes. I pause in what I am doing as I look at him, knowing he has received the same notification.
I don’t need anyone to tell me that it must be an urgent message – that ringtine was set for messages received from a certain contact. I pull out my phone from my pockets and see the message sent at the top of the screen.
The sender’s name is Agent Kristen – she is someone we both know and in the same organization as us. I look up at Jake, just as he looks my way at the same time and our gazes meet as he nods. It’s been a while since there has been a message from the notification and it must really be official matters for Kristen to have called for us herself.
I click on the message which soon displays the content. There is not much information there and it only says;
“Closed doors meeting in two days, same time, same place. Your driver will pick you up an hour before.”